Dark Moon and Black Feathers
by KittyGirl12
Summary: Have you ever heard the story of Mapleshade? She has been called the most evil cat ever to live. Have you heard the story of her kits? They were drowned in a river when only a few days old. But does their story really end in the black waters separating their mother from their father, or is there more? Come, join me for a tragic tale, perhaps the saddest ever told. (Not really sad)
1. prologue

**Dark Moon and Black Feathers**

Let me tell you a story, the most tragic that ever was. A lovely Thunderclan warrior fell in love with a handsome Riverclan cat. For a while, everything was perfect. She gave birth to his kits, and they looked just as beautiful as he was. A little too beautiful. They were immediately recognized as kits of Riverclan decent, and the queen and her kits were cast out. While trying to cross the river to find her mate, the kits were swept away and drowned. Grief stricken, the surviving warrior queen found her way to the Riverclan camp, only to find her mate, curled up with another queen. A queen far prettier than herself. Shrieking, she ran far, far away, cursing life…and death. But what about the kits? Does their story end at the river?

**A/N: Sorry that this is so short! I promise, it's only an explanatory thing! All of my other chapters are MUCH longer!** J**Any way, your support means the world to me! Thank all of you for viewing, and please feel free to leave a review! I will make whatever changes seem necessary to increase your viewing pleasure! (Please be respectful, tell the truth and no cursing.) **

**So sit back and enjoy my story! (Hope you like it!)**

**Prologue**

Every thing was dark. All I could feel was fear. Fear, radiating out of my mother, my sister, myself, and the forest. The air rang with the sounds of a wild storm. Above the sound of the storm, my ears were filled with the shrill, grief stricken wails of my mother. I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to cope with the horrible noise and oppressive darkness. My mother ran through the trees with me and my sister, Darkkit dangling from her mouth. Tree branches whipped us, as we were bounced up and down by the scruffs of our necks. I tried to tell myself that I didn't know why this was happening, why my mother had jerked us out of our warm nests, but in the back of my mind I knew.

We were only a few days old, but I remember the shocked whispers when we were born. The queens had hissed in surprise, and one called Sweetberry had rushed away. Soon she came back with an important cat. He seemed to be the leader. "The kits look like…Riverclan." Sweetberry said. The leader had prowled around us, sniffed us, examined us, and then, jerking up, he starred long and hard at my mother. "We will speak about this some other day," he growled. And then, he left.

Several days later, he came back with several other warriors, and they pulled my mother outside. Seconds later, terrible screams, pouring out fear, sorrow and absolute hate and despair tore through the air. "Mother?" Darkkit whispered. The other queens jerked up, and covered their kits protectively as my mother hurtled into the nursery, shrieking. She grabbed us in her mouth and the raced out. Throwing us onto the ground at the center of the camp, she slowly, almost calmly spoke three simple words. "I HATE YOU." she said to the leader, the clan and the whole world. And then she picked us up, and left.

This is what I know. And this is what I believe. We were thrown out of our home because of….me. They thought that something was wrong with my sister and me, but it's not true. Our mother had told us every day that we were perfect, like our father. I have never met him though. And now, we had no home, nowhere to go. I started to cry, I couldn't help it. Suddenly, my mother stopped. When I opened my eyes, I could barely make out a rushing, roaring river through the fog. We were drenched with mist and rain, but my mother didn't seem to care. She set us down on a rock near the river, and paused to take a breath. "Where are we Mama?" Darkkit asked. "The river." She replied simply. "Doesn't Riverclan live on the other side?" I asked. "Yes." "Why are we here?" I asked again. "Darlings, we are going to meet your…father!" neither of us said anything. Really, I didn't know what to say. Mother picked us up and started moving towards the foaming waves. "How will we cross?" Darkkit asked her voice laced with fear. "Swim my sweets, we will swim," my mother whispered. And then she leapt into the water. In an instant, we were wrenched from my mother's grasp. Swirled and battered in the wild waves, I screamed for help. "Darkkit! Mother! Help me! PLEASE!" My mouth filled with horrible, bitter water. Breaking through the waves, I was able to shriek my mother's name. "MAPLESHADE!" And then, I blacked out.

**A/N: Thank you all soooooo much for your amazing support! ;) Your reviews are an amazing encouragement! **

**Special thanks to Amberstorm233 for telling me that Mapleshade's kits were really Larchkit, Patchkit and Petalkit. I hadn't known this when I wrote the story, so it was cool to hear an interesting warriors news tidbit! For those of you who ****_did_**** know about the real-story kits, you can think of my story as a simple "What if?" scenario. **

**Anyway, thank you for reading my story! ****J**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: After Death**

When I opened my eyes, I was standing at the bottom of the river. The water was clearer than glass, and I was surprised at how sparkly it was. Almost like liquid starlight. That's when I noticed all the other cats. There were hundreds of them, beautiful, strong looking cats, standing all around me. And I could see right through them. There they stood, transparent, with beautiful colors dancing around them like the northern lights. I blinked. "Ravenkit," they said. The water was filled with the sweet sound of their voices. Suddenly, they started to flicker. The water vibrated with whispers of "New life. New chances. New life. New chances…" It got louder and louder, until I thought my ears would burst. Throwing back my head, I screamed. My mind was filled with a terrible noise. Searing pain. Images. I saw myself, my sister, and several other cats that I didn't recognize. Dancing lights filled my mind as I watched image after image fly past. There I was as I kit, sleeping next to a strange queen. Then, I was playing with my sister in the nursery. There I was at my apprentice naming. Images of my apprentice-ship flashed before my eyes. Who were the cats in the images? My sister was in nearly all of them, but she was different too. Older. Then I realized this was my life. But it wasn't my life…it was another cat's life. A cat that looked exactly like me. Then, I saw myself at my warrior naming. I saw myself smile. The cats faded. So did the lights.

I opened my eyes, and realized that I was standing in shallow water. A warm newleaf breeze ruffled my smoky fur. Wait, newleaf? No, no, it was leafbare. Wasn't it? "Hey! Ravenfeather! What's wrong with you? Helloooo?" "Huh?" I shook my head. Standing on the bank of the river was a tall, young cat. Her tortoiseshell fur was blotched with small, white, flower shaped markings. "What are you trying to do? Drown yourself? C'mon, get out of the water!" I stayed where I was, and eyed her suspiciously. "Who's 'Ravenfeather'? I'm Ravenkit, and who are you?" The cat narrowed her eyes. "Stop messing around." She said "You know full well who I am." When I didn't respond, she snorted. "Remember me? I'm Blossomfall. You're Ravenfeather. We're warriors now. OK?" she said this really slowly, like she was talking to an idiot. I closed my eyes. I wasn't a warrior yet. I was Mapleleaf's kit. No, that's not my mother's name. Mapletree? Maplemoon?….I couldn't remember. Then I remembered the see-through cats. What had they said? "New life. New chances…." I thought of the images. They were starting to feel more and more real, as if they had really happened. I was starting to understand. "Oh, right. Sorry." I mumbled to Blossomfall. She snorted again. "Well, whatever. Anyway, come and help me find Darkmoon." "Darkmoon? Who's that?" Blossomfall rolled her eyes. "Your _sister_." She snorted. I guess she had a thing with snorting. "Wow, you're really weird today!" I felt kind of bad. I didn't want to get on her nerves, especially since I felt she would be helpful in showing me around. "Are you mad at me?" I whispered. Blossomfall looked surprised. "You're kidding right? Hey, I totally understand weird. I have a brother. You can't get much weirder than that. Now come on, let's find your sister!" relieved, I decided to be a little more careful with my questions. "Can you not find her?" I asked nonchalantly. "No, and I've looked EVERYWERE!" "Do you think she's OK?" I was barely able to contain my worry. "Yea, she's just great at hide and find. Now are you coming or not?" I smiled. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad, after all. Quickly, I raced passed Blossomfall, and into my new life. I was happy now, but things can change…..sometimes, overnight.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Dreams**

"Wow! You guys are so similar! I never noticed it before, but you two are exactly alike!" I looked up from my mouse to see a fluffy, pale grey she-cat with dazzlingly electric blue eyes. The cat continued. "Yea, Ivypool, look! They're both jet black with green eyes, but Ravenfeather's right paw is white, and its Darkmoon's left paw that's the white one." I grinned at Darkmoon, I loved being her mirror image and I never felt alone when I was with her. Another she-cat looked up at us. "Dovewing, don't you ever wonder why they're identical sisters, while we're, well, VERY non-identical sisters?" I had to admit that Ivypool's sleek, silver tabby coat with white belly, chest and paws was quite different from Dovewing's pretty fluff. Ivypool focused her midnight blue eyes on her starling and continued eating. I'm no judge of character, but I could clearly see suffering in those stormy eyes. I could see sorrow, pain and confusion, but outshining those was the strong light of courage. I also noticed that lately, Dovewing was always watching her sister with a sense of concern that defied her usually chipper spirit. Even stranger was the way that every morning Ivypool woke up with fresh cuts and bruises, always blaming them on thorns in her bedding.

I had already been here a moon, and was getting used to my warrior life, but there had been some surprises along the way. When I had asked my new friends where the leader, Stonestar was, they had exchanged glances and told me that they had never heard of him, Thunderclan's leader was Firestar. I suppose that Stonestar died so long ago that he had faded from all memory. I wasn't sad. Because of him, my sister and I were dead, and my mother was who-knows-where. Even though my memories were foggy, I could still remember her sad, loving voice, if not her name.

That night, after I fell asleep, I had a very strange dream, much more lifelike than usual. I dreamed that I was in a flowery field, next to a great, dark forest. A blue eyed tom came to me, and showed me the most wonderful battle moves I had ever seen. "What would you give to have training like that?" he asked me. "Oh, well, I don't know…" I mumbled. "I would love to be able to do that." I added wistfully. "You can," the tom said. "Really?" _this is a strange dream, I_ thought. "Yes, and all you have to do is follow me." He began walking away. "Come." he called behind over his shoulder. _It's only a dream, just a really bizarre dream, _I told myself. As I raced to meet him, the tom turned to face me. I had to admit that his eyes made me feel like I was the most special creature on earth. "What's your name, pretty warrior?" he asked. "Ravenfeather. What is yours?" he was quiet for a while, and then quietly, he growled "Hawkfrost," and led me into the forest.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Wounds and Bedding**

Every night, Hawkfrost came to my dreams and trained me in the dark forest. If I asked where we were, he always answered, "Your dream." That was all the information I could get out of him. Soon, I began to notice other cats in my dreams. I saw young cats from other clans and lurking in the shadows beneath the rotting trees, the shady forms of menacing old cats, training them. "Hawkfrost, why are there so many cats being trained here?" I asked. "We dream cats love to help young warriors, especially the ones that demonstrate special potential. We meet you in your dreams to help you become the best warrior you can be." "Am I special?" I asked. "Yes, you are the most special of all."

The next night, I was startled to see someone I knew, Blossomfall. When I got close to her, I asked her what she was doing in the dark forest. "The same thing as you," she replied, and slashed her shadow-cat teacher across the face. I turned away and followed Hawkfrost through the trees. To tell the truth, I was surprised at how ferocious Blossomfall seemed.

We soon reached a boggy clearing, surrounded by stinking, bubbling pools of slime. "Time for training." Hawkfrost growled. We lunged at each other. As big and strong as he was, I was a lot faster and more nimble. We dodged and slashed with claws sheathed, which is why I was surprised when Hawkfrost clawed my side, leaving a long bloody streak. I stopped dead in my tracks. "I thought….I'm bleeding." I stuttered. "Yes, I thought we'd try claws out for a while." "Why didn't you warn me?" I wined. "Ravenfeather, you need to learn to cope with surprises. When you're in a real battle, your enemy will be full of them. Do you expect them to sweetly say 'Alright pretty little warrior, I going to unsheathe my claws now.' You want to be the best warrior ever, don't you?" I looked down. "Yea, sure..." I mumbled.

When I woke up, I was shocked to see a long bloody scratch on my side. And that became more and more common. Soon I woke every morning with wounds, and more and more, I found myself blaming them on thorns in my bedding.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: My Rude Awakening**

I had been training in the dark dream forest for two moons now, and every night I saw more and more cats I recognized. It seemed like every young warrior in the clan was training here. I saw Ivypool nearly every night, but oddly enough I never ran into Dovewing. Neither did I see my own sister. I had tried to talk with Blossomfall about the nightly training, but she had snapped "What? You mouse brain, what are you talking about?" and she stomped off.

Then, one night, Hawkfrost came to me. "Your training has gone unbelievably well, and I have a special message of destiny to share with you, but first, a small test." Excited, but nervous, I followed him into the training clearing. Sitting proudly on a rock, preening her fur, sat Blossomfall. She swung her pretty head around to face me, and narrowed her sparkling green eyes in an evil grin. "So, Hawkfrost," she purred, "You've finally brought me some competition. I can't wait." I was starting to get nervous. "H-hi Blossomfall...uh, what's up?" I stammered. Blossomfall ignored me, and turned to Hawkfrost. "Let the battle begin?" she hissed. "Let the battle begin." he replied, and pushed me into the center of the ring. "W-w-wait!" I squeaked, but no one listened. In a flash, Blossomfall leapt from the rock and flew towards me. I had never realized what sharp, white, teeth she had, until they were fastened at my throat. "Pathetic, Ravenfeather, pathetic. Blossomfall, finish her off." I shrieked and wrenched myself from her death grip, a second before she crunched my throat.

Standing up, I faced her. "Blossomfall! BLOSSOMFALL!" I screamed "It's me, your friend, Ravenfeather. YOUR FRIEND!" Suddenly, she shook her head. "Oh, hi, Ravenfeather, I didn't see you there." With that, she started to wander away, as if she was sleep walking. "Blossomfall, come here." Hawkfrost yelled, but she had already run off. Menacingly, he turned to face me. "How. Dare. You." Then he turned towards the forest "Mapleshade, come here!" he growled. _Mapleshade? _I thought _Why does that name sound familiar?_ A huge, hideously scarred dream cat came slinking through the trees. "Hello, daughter," she hissed. My jaw dropped open. "Mother?" I gasped. My memories came flooding back. "Yes, my sweet," she growled. "What are you doing here?" I asked. Something wasn't right, I had a very strong feeling that she wasn't here for a friendly visit.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked right back. "Starclan gave me another chance." "No cat should get another chance. I didn't. you shouldn't have." She started stalking towards me, fangs barred. I had to buy myself some time. "Why are you so transparent?" I blurted out. "All cats must fade someday, even spirits," my mother whispered, "We feed off the memories of the living. No one remembers me, not even Darkkit, except for you. Your memories keep me alive, but if you should forget me, my end will come." "Darkmoon." I corrected her. "What?" "We're warriors now. Her name is Darkmoon." "And your name is Dead, _kit_." With that, Mapleshade attacked. "You can't kill me!" I yelled. "Why ever not?" she retorted. "You'll die. You need me to remember you, or else you will disappear. If you kill me, there will be no memory of you." She looked confused. For a few seconds. "That's right," she snarled "I can't kill you, but I can mar you beyond recognition." That was my queue to leave. I ran as fast as I possibly could, weaving though the trees, hurtling passed fighting shadow cats, dodging bogs and swamps. My mother was hot on my heels, so was Hawkfrost. I could tell that they had one desire. My death.

I raced out of the forest and into the flowery field. It was so sunny and pretty. Hawkfrost ran across the field towards me, but as soon as Mapleshade entered the light, she screamed an unearthly, terrible scream. "The light, it is killing me!" shrieking and convulsing, she ran back into the dark forest. However, I was beginning to realize that Hawkfrost wasn't a dream cat, he was as real as I was, and gaining on me very quickly. I ran across the field, towards a lovely river on the other side, far away from the forest. I desperately wanted to wake up, but I couldn't. With Hawkfrost an inch behind me, I ran into the river. The water seemed very familiar, and sparkly, like liquid…starlight. Hawkfrost approached me, but as soon as he was at the bank of the river, he was stopped, as if by some invisible force. He couldn't reach me, something was stopping him. Cursing, he slunk back into the dark forest.

I stood in the shallow water, trembling. Suddenly, I noticed the beautiful star cats that had given me life. I knew where I was. Starclan. A blue she-cat came up to me. "You saved my life, didn't you? You are so good and beautiful that Hawkfrost's evil couldn't come here!" The she-cat smiled. "I am Bluestar, once the leader of Thunderclan. These are my kits." She muzzled a tiny grey and white she cat, and a massive, handsome grey tom warrior. I nodded in greeting. "Would you like to wake up, and never go to the dark forest again?" I nodded again. "You are blessed to have a choice, many don't. Tell Ivypool…." Then, I woke up.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Telling Ivypool**

As soon as morning came, I hurried to tell Ivypool about what was happening. "I saw you there." I said "It isn't what it seems, it's evil. EVIL!" "Ravenfeather, it's alright, calm down. I know. I know that it's evil." I was confused "Then why do you still go?" "Do you think I have a choice? I don't want to, but my dreams always take me there, I can't control it." "Can't you do anything?" I asked. "Yes, I am spying on them, and reporting their activity to Firestar. It is my belief that they are forming an army." I was quiet for a while. "Why haven't you warned the other cats who are being trained, like Blossomfall?" "Believe me, I want to, but I don't know how loyal they are to the dark forest. If I give away the fact that I don't believe in their cause, and they tell the dark cats, I will be dead as soon as I fall asleep. I have seen it happen. Please, help me protect what's right." And I promised.


	7. epilogue

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**Epilogue**

Today, cats are still being trained by the dark warriors. Ivypool says that they will attack us and try to kill us all. Blossomfall and many of our other warriors have learned of the evil, and are now risking their lives as spies to protect Thunderclan. We are training to defend ourselves from this increasing shadow. My sister Darkmoon is extremely encouraging to me, telling me that we can win. It was my mother who gave us our dark coloring and dark names, it is she who has chosen darkness, and she had almost succeeded in dragging us into the shadows with her, but we are strong, and we have Starclan to help us. We will fight for the light and like the little spot of white on our paws; my sister and I will shine in the darkness. I know that when the final battle comes, we will be ready.


End file.
